There’s one bill that holds massive bipartisan support, so why is Tom Cotton being a human speedbump and holding it from passage? – PB/TK
Tom Cotton Lone Holdout on Juvenile Justice Reform Bill –
By Arthur Rizer & Jonathan Matt / July 15 2017
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has not been one to shy away from a hardline stance on criminal justice issues. In a speech last year, Cotton claimed the United States, home to more than 20 percent of the world’s prison population, has “an under-incarceration problem.” But such views may be out of touch even with his own constituents in Arkansas.
In 1974, the United States instituted new federal rules for the juvenile criminal justice system with passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Notably, the law provided grant incentives for states to comply with the act’s monitoring and compliance requirements. It led to the creation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to oversee state programs and ensure compliance with law’s core requirements. One key provision ensured states stopped detaining youth offenders who committed so-called “status offenses” – crimes that only apply to children, such as truancy or underage alcohol consumption.
However, the JJDPA expired in 2007, and recent bipartisan efforts to pass a reauthorization bill have failed because of the opposition of one senator—Tom Cotton.
In an age of partisan politics and extreme polarization, it is rare to see a significant issue enjoy bipartisan support as strong as exists for JJDPA reauthorization. It is also uncommon to see a bill with such broad support fail to pass. As recently as April, the Senate attempted to pass a reauthorization bill using the “unanimous consent” procedure that speeds the proceedings. For the second time in two years, Cotton was the bill’s sole opponent.
The bill could go to a full vote on the floor of the Senate, assuming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., places it on the calendar. However, this raises the risk that it becomes bogged down in the slow process of amendments and floor debates.
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